FORT PIERCE – Policy and personnel controversies in Fort Pierce city government apparently did not trigger new candidates to seek seats on the Fort Pierce City Commission.

City Clerk Linda Cox announced just after noon Friday that incumbents Arnold S. Gaines, representing District 1, and Michael B. Broderick, from District 2, were the only candidates to meet Friday’s deadline to qualify to run for the two, open, four-year commission terms.

A third preliminary candidate for District 2, Jean Eddy Leroy, withdrew before the noon qualifying deadline, according to Cox.

Cox said the Fort Pierce City Charter now makes it unnecessary for a commission race to appear on either an Aug. 18 primary or a Nov. 3 general election ballot.

“In accordance with City Charter Article VI, Sec. 52(f), in the event there is only one candidate that qualifies for any one seat, there is no need for an election and the candidates shall be declared elected and their term of office shall begin at the second regular meeting after the general election…,” Cox said.

That means that Gaines, of 1505 Avenue Q, and Broderick, of 1127 Granada St., will automatically begin their new four-year terms Dec. 7.

Broderick owns a local commercial real estate business and Gaines is a Fort Pierce attorney.

According to Cox, Leroy withdrew before completing the qualifying paperwork “after we determined he was unable to provide the necessary documentation in accordance with our Code of his residency within the district for the preceding two years.”

Cox said lacking the necessity of primary and general elections will not save the city any money.

“…We don’t pay for elections when they are in line with the regular elections; we just pay for special elections,” she explained.

Both Gaines and Broderick are finishing their first terms on Fort Pierce’s five-member policymaking commission. The city has two voting districts, each represented by two commissioners, with a mayor who is elected citywide.

The commission has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the resignation and appointment of a new police chief, non-renewal of the city attorney’s contract, financial questions surrounding the leasing of city-owned property to private interests, bid tampering charges against a former city manager, the arrest of a former city commissioner for alleged inappropriate online contact with a minor and issues with city purchasing practices.